The Rio Tinto Iron Ore Kuruma and Marthudunera Agreement was entered into between the Kuruma and Marthudunera Native Title Claim Group and Rio Tinto Iron Ore.

The agreement is one of four entered into by Rio Tinto Iron Ore with native title claimants in the Pilbara. Other agreements include those with the Ngarlawannga Native Title Claim Group, the Nyiyaparli Native Title Claim Group and the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura Native Title Claim Group.

Detailed Information:

The Kuruma and Marthudunera (combined) people filed an application for a determination of native title in March 1998 (Federal Court No WAD6090/98). That application was registered on the Native Title Register and is currently in mediation.

The Kuruma and Marthudunera Agreement covers some 15,717 square kilometres of land in the east Pilbara region and includes the mining town of Newman. The Kuruma and Marthudunera claim group has approximately 500 members.

The agreement provides for continuing mining operations at Brickman 4, Mesa A, Mesa J, Hope Downs as well as any mines that Rio Tinto Iron Ore might establish in the future.

For their part, the Kuruma and Marthudunera Native Title Claim Group has negotiated a range of economic and non-economic benefits, including an income stream from mining on their lands, training and job opportunities, access to contracts for services for Rio Tinto and support for environmental and heritage activities (Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation).

The agreements also includes mine exclusion zones for the protection of significant sites, as well as water holes and ecologically sensitive areas.

A local Aboriginal Corporation has been established to manage the agreement, and a broader regional corporation has also been established to advance the interests of the traditional owners in the Pilbara.